Page 2 of Kyle

Cole’s chin pulls to the side. “Who did?”

“That’s what I need you to find out.”

Our prez lifts a brow. “That’s a job for the police, honey.”

“You and I both know Harry was dirty. The cops don’t give a damn who killed him. You’re the only one who can help me. Please.”

Cole straightens and crosses his arms. “Okay, so I find out who did it, then what?”

She opens her purse wide enough for all of us to see stacks of banded cash. “Then you kill them for me.”

Cole grabs the door handle and swings it open, looking a little pissed she’s flashing cash and propositioning him for murder in the open parking lot. “Goddamn it, Jos. You can’t make an offer like you’re ordering a trash pickup.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how this is done.” She starts to cry.

Cole sighs. “Come inside. Let’s talk in my office.”

She climbs from the car, and Prez takes her by the arm, escorting her through the door of the clubhouse.

Billy and I both stare after them, and TJ whistles.

“Who’d have thought Harry Silver would have such a knockout wife?”

“How’d he die?” I ask. “I mean, I heard about it when it happened, but not the details.”

“It was in the news. They found him shot in the head, his body dumped in the Edmund G Brown Aqueduct, somewhere out by Santa Nella, I think.”

“Was your father close with him?” I ask.

“I don’t know.”

Green walks up, hearing the end of our conversation. “Harry was a slick asshole, but he won, and that’s all we cared about. Plus, he was dirty as hell—always giving Cole the down-low on any rats on probation we needed to track down.”

Red Dog joins us, and Green grins at him.

“Remember that little weasel drug dealer who kept movin’ into our turf? The one in them apartments near Fruitvale and Piccoli Road?”

Dog laughs. “Yeah, I remember. You tried to jump up to the second-floor walkway like you were an acrobat. Fell and almost broke your back.”

“Why you gotta be like that?” Green’s shoulders slump.

“Like what?”

“I’m tryin’ to tell a story here. Tryin’ to educate these boys, and you gotta bring up my failings. It’s very hurtful.”

Dog rolls his eyes. “But Green, your failings are always the best part of the stories you tell.”

“Fuck you, Dog.”

“Bite me,” he replies, then looks at us. “Come on, youngins. Soon as Cole finishes with the lady, we’re having Church.”

We follow him inside and go to the bar. I take a seat at the end with a clear shot of the room. I’m on my second beer, my thumbnail scraping the label, thinking of the day Rafe and I took Brayden and Rebel out to Santa Cruz.

“Hey, space cadet.” TJ waves his hand in front of my face. “Look who just walked in.”

I turn to see the woman I’m obsessed with coming through the door with my brother, Rafe.

“Great.” I return to my beer.

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